Top Rated Urgent Care Doctors

Urgent care clinics are same-day healthcare facilities that can provide treatment for a variety of medical problems that need to be treated right away but are not considered true emergencies. Symptoms and conditions that can be evaluated, diagnosed, and treated at an urgent care clinic include:

– Fever without a rash
– Vomiting or persistent diarrhea
– Abdominal pain
– Wheezing or shortness of breath
– Dehydration
– Moderate flu-like symptoms
– Sprains and strains
– Small cuts that may require stitches

On the other hand, symptoms that are best evaluated in a hospital emergency room include:

– Chest pain or difficulty breathing
– Weakness/numbness on one side
– Slurred speech
– Fainting/change in mental state
– Serious burns
– Head or eye injury
– Concussion/confusion
– Broken bones and dislocated joints
– Fever with a rash
– Seizures
– Severe cuts that may require stitches
– Facial lacerations
– Severe cold or flu symptoms
– Vaginal bleeding with pregnancy

A walk-in clinic is a term typically used for a facility that provides a more affordable option for basic medical care than an emergency room and is sometimes referred to as a “retail clinic.” This is because they are often found near retailers or pharmacies, making them convenient for patients to find and utilize. These clinics are often staffed by nurse practitioners or physician assistants and were originally developed to serve uninsured or underinsured patients for common, non-threatening conditions.

Typically, walk-in clinics do not take reservations and offer care on a first-come, first-served basis. The emphasis of a walk-in clinic is on convenience, care, and affordability. They typically provide services like immunizations, physicals, and health screenings and provide treatment for minor injuries and illnesses like flu or cold treatment, strep throat, cuts, or skin conditions.

On the other hand, an urgent care center is very similar to a walk-in clinic but has additional capabilities. Urgent care centers are able to treat more serious (though still non-life-threatening) illnesses or injuries, such as moderate cuts and burns and mild to moderate illnesses and ailments. These types of facilities are designed to help patients avoid the need for more expensive medical services, such as hospital emergency rooms.

Urgent care centers typically staff at least one medical doctor and have a physician available to see patients during their hours of operation. They still employ nurse practitioners and physician assistants. These facilities usually also have X-ray equipment on-site and are able to handle more severe conditions like broken bones or burns, whereas walk-in clinics typically do not handle situations like these.

While neither is inherently better than the other, both urgent care clinics and ERs serve their own purpose. Urgent care clinics are better for handling non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses, especially ones that are still time-sensitive like broken bones and flu-like symptoms. On the other hand, emergency rooms are equipped to handle the most critical emergencies and can handle life or limb-threatening situations.

If you or someone you love is looking for a quality urgent care clinic that they can trust, come to Franklin Park Urgent Care Center today. Our kind and compassionate professionals are experienced in treating a wide variety of injuries and illnesses and can help you on the road to recovery!

Call us today to book a reservation. We look forward to serving you! We serve patients from Spokane WA, Airway Heights WA, Cheney WA, Colbert WA, Deer Park WA, Liberty Lake WA, Mead WA, Medical Lake WA, Millwood WA, Otis Orchards WA, Spokane Valley WA and surrounding areas.